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Dynamic or psychoanalytically-oriented psychotherapy is a method of treatment which deals with the dynamics of the human mind. Its purpose is to reestablish the equilibrium between the repressed and repressing forces which has been disturbed in the emotional illness. It is a treatment useful in a variety of emotional disorders because it can produce resynthesis of the personality on a healthier basis and a reorganization of the psychic forces. The ego can be strengthened and can acquire a better ability to face external reality and master inner tensions.
Its efficacy, however, depends upon the application of the correct technique. Freud5 long ago drew our attention to the fact that harm may result from improper psychoanalytic procedures. Unquestionably, damage can also result from incorrectly applied dynamic psychotherapy. Regression, dangerous acting out and other undesirable reactions may occur.
Outlining a technique for psychotherapy is a difficult task because much of what is happening during the treatment escapes observation. The personality, the training and experience of the therapist play an important role. Moreover, the application of the correct technique depends upon the understanding of the process of dynamic psychotherapy. Alexander,1 Bibring,2 Fenichel,3 Gill,9,10 Gitelson,11 Knight,13 Rangell,15 Stone16 and others have written on this subject. The intention of the present paper is to emphasize the differences that exist